Editor’s note: this letter was originally posted on Facebook in response to a column entitled, “The Last Valedictorian,” published in The Reporter on June 9. That column is available on our website, www.ReadTheReporter.com in the “Opinion” section and on our Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/HamiltonCountyReporter. The letter is printed here with permission.
Chris Roberts was not only valedictorian of the Sheridan High School class of 2016, but was an outstanding student athlete. He is currently a biochemistry student and research assistant at Purdue University.
Roberts
Dear Editor:
I was Valedictorian of my school last year (2016) and I can confidently say that I worked my butt off for four years to achieve that honor. One screw up and my dream of being Valedictorian would have been unachievable.
I know there are other kids out there that have the same dream as I did and I know they will work as hard as they can to achieve their dream. To take this honor away from them is to take away years of hard work and effort.
Sure, you can say the top kids will still be honored but that’s not the same as being “the valedictorian” or “the salutatorian.” The excuse of saying the numbers are too high or the competition is too much is an EXCUSE.
Another argument against this is that kids “pad their schedules” with all AP/duel credit classes strictly to get GPA boost and they can’t take classes of their own interest. I was a student that had a schedule full of these classes not to boost my GPA, but to give me college credit! The true purpose of AP classes! Taking these classes have put me at a huge advantage in college, to the point where I can graduate a year early!
To the people who want to take less college courses there is a price to pay and that is in your GPA.
My last point is that there are kids out there who may not be an All-State basketball player and academics are the only thing they have. If you take away the honor for the academic kids you must take away all the other top honors of the school like all-state football/basketball, top music chair, perfect attendance, etc.
This is an old tradition that many people, like myself, strive to achieve, therefore to take away this honor is to take away the dreams and aspirations of that hard-working kid who just wanted to be recognized for his intellect and effort.
I say this with the utmost respect for those who may think differently and I ask you to consider my thoughts on this matter.
Chris Roberts
Sheridan